Murray State loses

[shockem]

Right now it looks like WSU and CU are the marquee names in Bracketbusters. Too bad the matchups are so bad.

[RoyalShock]

RoyalShock,

Then shouldn't UNI still be in the discussion? I mean they are 3 spots behind Murray State at 55 and have more top50 wins. Granted they also have a "worse" bad loss.

Or does Murray simply stay in this discussion because they are ranked and just now received their first loss?

The thing is, at the end of the day (month) we aren't just looking at UNI against Murray, but all teams and how UNI and Murray will compare to everyone else. UNI has already amassed 10 losses, four of which are outside the top 100, with one of those 200+. That, combined with the Panther's sub-.500 record against the top-100, more than offset their 3 wins against the top-50 and good SoS.

Murray has two top-25 wins (one neutral, one road) to offset their one questionable loss (TSU moved into the top 150, just barely). Murray's issue will be avoiding any more bad losses, because with only 3 total wins against the top-100 (and the resulting poor SoS) it won't take much to make those wins look like flukes, especially if they lose big at home to St Mary's.

[TheShock]

Congrats to former Shocker All-American John Cooper, head coach of Tennessee State, for knocking the Racers from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Please help here iSASO? While it wouldn't surprise me to see John Cooper coach at Wichita State one day, I don't ever recall him being an All-American? I know his jersey isn't hanging in the rafters... well, at the last time I looked it wasn't. His bio does show that he was a Rhode Scholar candidate during his senior season. Was he an honorable mention AA?

I also recall a serious ankle injury ending his career early... maybe in Hawaii against Tennessee? Yes, I'm an older 'focker' and could have totally missed Cooper being an AA. You would have thought they would have mentioned it in his bio, versus mentioning him being a "team captain" for 2 years.

http://www.tsutigers.com/ViewArticle.db ... EASON=2011

[Jet915]

The Racers could probably lose to St. Mary's and one more game (finals of OVC) and still get in. If they have one more loss, I could probably see them getting one of the last 4 in slots or barely not getting in.

[BirdmanBB]

The Racers could probably lose to St. Mary's and one more game (finals of OVC) and still get in. If they have one more loss, I could probably see them getting one of the last 4 in slots or barely not getting in.

Since 08-09, Utah St. has put together a similar schedule where they would stack up a crap ton of wins with a few losses without really playing anyone and made the NCAA tourney. They were always listed on the bubble watch every year and were never solidly in. If Murray St. suffers a couple more losses I expect them to be in the same position. At that point it is going to be a judgement call if they don't win their tourney. Do I take a team who challenged themselves and lost some games or do I take a team that won a ton of games against mediocre competition. It's the age old question.

Janks been trying to pull this method off for years but keeps forgetting how hard it is to win on the road in the valley.

[pafan]

There are several conference leaders who would be riding the bubble if they don't win their conference automatic bid.

They include Murray St., Akron, VCU, Cleveland St., Oral Roberts, Davidson and Wagner.

If several of these teams were to lose their respective conference tournaments, some of them would be left out.